ARES Notional Schedule Update
Closed Special Notice Posted
- Solicitation number
- ARES_PROTOTYPE_OPPORTUNITY
- Agency
-
AFLCMC Hanscom AFB
Lifecycle Management Center, Department of Defense
- Responses due
- Set-aside
- No set-aside
Opportunity facts
- NAICS code
- 541519 Other Computer Related Services
- Place of performance
- Hanscom AFB, Massachusetts, United States
- Points of contact
Notice details come from SAM.gov. Updated .
About this opportunity
The Air Force Materiel Command Lifecycle Management Center at Hanscom Air Force Base has released a Special Notice regarding the ARES Notional Schedule Update, an advance planning notice for industry prior to the release of a final solicitation. This notice pertains to the Aerospace Readiness Enterprise System (ARES), a software development acquisition managed by Kessel Run Flight Operations. The special notice references a previously released draft amendment issued on November 15, 2025, and serves to inform potential contractors of anticipated timelines and opportunities. The notice is classified under Other Computer Related Services (NAICS 541519) and falls within the National Defense R&D Services category for military experimental development. Posted on December 2, 2025, this notice provides industry visibility into the government's acquisition strategy before formal solicitation.
The Special Notice outlines a notional acquisition milestone schedule for an ARES prototype and production award utilizing Other Transaction (OT) authority, a flexible acquisition mechanism often used for innovative development efforts. Key dates include the Final Solution Solicitation release scheduled for December 15, 2025, industry questions due by December 19, 2025, and contractor solution submissions due by January 9, 2026, with initial evaluations to be completed by January 16, 2026. The prototype OT award is anticipated for February 25, 2026, followed by a Minimum Viable Product delivery by May 22, 2026, and a production OT award by August 10, 2026. While the government has emphasized that this schedule is notional and subject to change, it demonstrates a commitment to aggressively reducing timelines wherever possible. No specific eligibility restrictions are indicated in this planning notice, which is designed to provide contractors adequate time for internal planning and resource allocation in advance of the formal solicitation.
Notice text
We would like to release this as a Special Notice for ARES Notional Schedule Update to Industry for planning ahead of the Final Solicitation. For additional information please see previously released ARES Aerospace Readiness Enterprise System (ARES)_Draft_Amendment 1 on SAM.gov notice released on November 15, 2025.
Files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| ARES Notional Schedule Update to Industry.pdf |
Notice history
| Notice | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| This notice | Special Notice | |
| Aerospace Readiness Enterprise System (ARES)_DRAFT | Solicitation |
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